I remember: Memoirs from Kumaon

As I bade adieu to the hostel that harboured me for the past four years, there was grief in my heart on leaving. I hated it in my first week out of my home, the very first in my life. However, as time went past and I made friends, I knew that it wasn't that bad. In fact, people were friendly and cared for each other, looking your back and shaking hands. The seniors were good and the fourth year was especially very caring and guided us in all possible ways. I always thought that the entire concept of hostel spirit was bull shit, that why would someone want to be stereotyped in the institute by the hostel name. I would much rather prefer my department to be my identity which was one of the best in the country. However I realised that the unique values and attitude inculcated in me by my seniors were very different from what was given in other hostels and somehow very similar to what I already had, so I accepted the tag of being Kumaon Tiger quite naturally rather being enforced to do so.

My hostel mates were like neighbours to me, or more like next door brothers whom you can go to for chit-chatting, for help, for playing, for eating together and all things you do with yourself. I still remember that night when we all came from a party of Anna's internship and I and Kapsi settled on his cot and I suddenly came up from nowhere with the idea for our winning Ad-making entry. I cannot forget the jubilation Jaithliya showed when he saw the judge's marks sheet and signalled with a smile. I cannot forget the out of the box performance by Harsh, Nayar and pammi on Rock Night in Second year when we came third, ahead of much better teams than us. I remember the sorrowful night (and morning) before the second year BHM night, when I and gandu drank a rather milky drink in each others' arms. I remember the awesome, top of the world feeling of being on BHM stage in second year. I remember those hugs with Bansal. I remember those endless quarrels with prasad and divyam over topics of articles and designs for submission. I remember the Polka party when Rungta did that shameful thing. I remember Bisai trying to find people to do flower decoration in his event. And I also remember his smile which is the most unforgetful thing that happened to me, especially throughout my fourth year. I remember the Kumaon Times of my first year, for which I made a night-out for two nights, my first. I remember doing editing of articles for Cornucopia, my only contribution to BSP in my first year. I remember the fever of rock music that engulfed me early in my second year. I remember that audition of Hostel street play in my first year, when Mannu sent me back in my room in the morning, rejected. I still regret not working harder then. I remember those long JAM sessions for EDLC, which I hated and what I miss so much now. I remember each and every article I wrote and got written by people in Kumaon during my repship. I remember Pushkar and Kapsi and Gandu and Rungta writing articles. I remember Speranza of my third year when my room mate went crazy with work. And I remember the single bed in my room in my third year for a major part of three months.

I remember those nights in EB-35 with Dhanda and Aritra and the schemes. I remember PP and Shubo, whom I have missed my entire fourth year. I remember those night outs in february and March this year for reasons I can't explain. Sleeping at 8 in the morning, waking up at 2 and then working on the same thing. I cant forget the late nite meals with jaithliya in Jwala almost every alternate night the entire last year. I cant forget the endless excel sheets in my lappi and endless calls made from my room to people saying just this line, “Dipesh ke room pe aaja jaldi se!” Those days can never be forgotten. I cant forget those late night efforts at the assignments of data structures and still failing. I remember the goof up of analog in second minor last year. I remember the course with Kallury Ma'am, with Ali and Bansal. I remember Gandu and his postures when I used to return to the room from class in my second year and first year. I remember Kapsi's way of understanding pointers. I remember the name given to me by pammi. I remember group study sessions in Pushkar's room in first year, all went in vain. I remember my first and only 'E' grade in iit. I remember EEL203 assignments with Charlie, Nayar ad DK. I remember the endless discussions with Bansal in my room in sleeplessness. I remember Rungta's enthusiasm in everything and the inverse proportionality of his time spent in R2 and his grades. I remember talentless aka do-nothing-gain-everything-night with Pushkar on the hostel roof. I remember Pushkar crying for me on THAT morning. I will remember Dk for his uncanny use of pronouns during lab vivas. I remember Rathore's poems and his calmness in everything. I remember Gupta for relentless hours spent in robotics and enthusiasm for everything that worked and which didn't. And i also remember him for his surprising flavous for animated TV Shows. I remember Mahajan for those long strenuos hours of shitty wits we shared in my room for the past three years discussing from anything to everything. I remember Dota Warriors from the next room. I remember Abhishek Choudhary for being there to help in whatever way was possible, be it hindi typing, be it for becoming the ISC rep overnight (and that too a caring one), for his fantastic poetry and being there for giving loans. By the way, he overtook Sony Corporation sometime last year. I remember Ashish for being the short tempered monster whom i could tame very easily.

I remember Azeez for his brilliance and talent, and also for his technical ineptitude. I remember Billu for being the spoit brat, falling for all the wrong things. But, he is a dear friend and helper. I remember Tripathi for almost being in our year after his four years. I will never forget Saboo for his exceptional talent and hardwork and being, from the bottom of my heart, the Gem of Kumaon. Without him, there would be no Kumaon. I remember prasad for helping the society with such entrepreneurial skills. He is an asset in all seasons. Also, he was lazy. I remember anna for being Anna, the guy who we made fun of, even when he did nothing. I remember Divyam for being my co-rep and a dear friend, irrespective of what others think. I will never forget Alankrit for giving me fundae for everything and for always screwing his plans up. I wish he goes to Europe this summer. I will remember Pammi more so for his love for late night soft drink breaks and his intelligence which is of the highest quality and for his genetic superiority. I will remember Nayar for the poor switchboard and his Maths courses and what he did on 1^st December, 2011. I will also remember him for being a dear friend despite me being the one who took his case all the time. And, i will remember Harsh for being my BTP partner, my lab group partner, my group study partner in core courses and for being the second most laziest person, next only to me.

All this, I can write again and again every day without getting tired, not because I remember this, because these things remember me and keep calling me again and again to them, fusing into my very existence. It will be hard to forget these things, at least for some time.